One mother pushed another playfully and asked, "Why would the Huo family tell you anything if one of them got married?"
"What nonsense are you saying? I was just curious."
Someone sighed and said, "Put everything else aside, this Second Young Madam is really beautiful. Her posture when she sat and ate was quite good. I really want a daughter like her. Alas, I only have sons."
The beautiful mother, who was a model, said a little enviously, "I was looking at her earlier. She ate so many desserts without any care in the world, but she's still so slim. I craved desserts just by watching her eat so happily."
Models had to follow very strict diets to maintain their figures after all. She could only look at those desserts and did not dare to eat them at all.
After this, the topic drifted to the mother who brought her young daughter here.
"I really don't know what to say about Mag's mother. Why would she bring her child here today? How did she plan to have afternoon tea in peace if she brought her child?"
"She doesn't have a nanny or helper at home. How could she not bring her child?"
"It's fine if it happens once in a while, but she insists on coming and bringing her child every time. Who can stand such a thing?"
…
After the waiter brought Lin Xiaowan and the mother-and-daughter pair to the staff lounge, he helped heat up the milk and threw the dirty diaper away.
The mother thanked the waiter profusely. "Thank you, thank you so much. I'm so sorry for the trouble."
The waiter did not take this matter to heart and replied, "This is what we should do."
The waiter kindly told them to take their time and reminded them not to touch the things in the room. However, there were surveillance cameras in the room so he was not worried about leaving people here unattended.
Lin Xiaowan nodded and thanked the waiter again.
After the waiter left, the baby finally stopped crying. At this moment, she was obediently drinking milk in her mother's arms.
The mother was about to speak when Lin Xiaowan's phone suddenly rang. She said, "I'm sorry, I need to take this call."
Lin Xiaowan walked to the side and answered the call.
"Have you left?" Huo Zheng asked in a low and gentle voice.
Lin Xiaowan looked at the time. It was already past five.
"Not yet. Are you done with your work?"
"Yes. I'll pick you up."
"Don't. The traffic jam is terrible at this time. Go home first. I'll let you know when I'm leaving."
"You should leave soon. The weather is quite bad."
"I know. I'll leave soon."
After Lin Xiaowan ended the call, the mother quickly said, "Thank you so much for today."
"You don't have to thank me," Lin Xiaowan said, feeling a little guilty, "I didn't do anything."
All she did was ask for the waiter's help.
After that, Lin Xiaowan remembered she had left her bag in the private room. She told the mother that she was going to get her back and asked the other party if she wanted to return to the room.
The mother was reluctant to return to that place that made her uncomfortable. She shook her head and said, "I'll stay here for a while and see if I can coax her to sleep."
"How old is she?" Lin Xiaowan asked casually.
"A little over seven months…
Lin Xiaowan could not help but feel a little worried.
'Is it really okay to bring the baby out when she's so young?'
…
When Lin Xiaowan returned to the private room, the mothers had already finished their discussion. They filled Lin Xiaowan in on some important details.
Since it would be rude for her to text on her phone while they spoke, Lin Xiaowan tried her best to remember everything they said.
"Alright, I'll inform Sister about it. How much does it cost?"
The woman, who looked like a career woman, replied, "17 children will be participating this time so it should cost about 3,000 yuan per person. If there's change, the money will be refunded; if it's not enough, then we'll have to make up for it."
Lin Xiaowan made an 'OK' gesture.
At this time, the waiter came in with the receipt. Clearly, the bill had been paid.
Lin Xiaowan asked, "How much was it? Let me pay you."
Usually, when the mothers met, one person would pay for the bill first before the others paid their share.
The mother who paid the bill today did some calculations and said, "I've sent the bill to the group. You can transfer the money to me."
Lin Xiaowan took a look and found that it was 402 yuan per person. She felt like it was a little unfair. After all, she had eaten two slices of cake, a blueberry cheese tart, a plate of savory crab biscuits, and a glass of sparkling water infused with lime and orange. Everything definitely added up to more than 402 yuan.
However, seeing that no one said anything, she did not say anything as well.
At the same time, she felt that the food here was really expensive. There was a pastry shop that she liked very much. A huge slice of chocolate roll in that place, which was bigger than her hand, only cost 59 yuan. A slice of taro milk cake only cost 55. Any one of the pastries there was much more worth it compared to this place.
Lin Xiaowan thought about the reviews she had seen. She thought about the atmosphere and environment here and thought that those who frequented this place likely only came here to take photos.
…
When Lin Xiaowan went out, she discovered that it was snowing heavily. Although it could not compare to the snow when she was in the hospital, there was already a layer of snow on the ground.
Someone asked Lin Xiaowan, "Where are you heading? Do you want me to give you a ride?"
Lin Xiaowan waved her hand and said, "No, thank you."
After bidding farewell, Lin Xiaowan tightened her down jacket around her and pulled down her hat before she walked along the roadside. There were many cars here so the driver had parked slightly further away.
As soon as Lin Xiaowan opened the door, she was a man sitting upright in the backseat of the dimly lit car.
"Why are you here?" Lin Xiaowan asked, climbing into the car.
"I'm here to pick you up. Why didn't you call the driver to pick you up at the door?"
"It's just a few extra steps. Moreover, I'm dressed warmly."
Huo Zheng did not agree with her. He held her slightly cold hands before he handed her a hot water bottle. He was worried that she would catch a cold.
When the car was about to drive past the place where she had afternoon tea, Lin Xiaowan caught a glance of a mother carrying a baby at the roadside. She quickly stopped the driver and explained to Huo Zheng, "I saw one of the mothers I met this afternoon."
Lin Xiaowan watched as the mother carried the baby in one hand while she tried to hail a cab with the other.
She looked at Huo Zheng and said, "It seems like she's looking for a cab. Can we give her a ride? Her baby is only seven months old. It'll be bad if such a young child catches a cold."
"Alright."
Huo Zheng was about to open the door and get out of the car when Lin Xiaowan grabbed his arm and stopped him. "What are you doing? Stay. I'll go. You're a stranger. Don't you think she'll be suspicious if you tell her to get in the car?"